The Asian clam, Corbicula fluminea, is an invasive alien species (IAS) originally from Asia that has spread worldwide causing major ecological and economic impacts in aquatic ecosystems. Here, we evaluated C. fluminea genetic (using COI mtDNA, CYTb mtDNA and 18S rDNA gene markers), morphometric and sperm morphology variation in Portuguese freshwater ecosystems. The COI marker revealed a single haplotype, which belongs to the Asian FW5 invasive lineage, suggesting a common origin for all the 13 Portuguese C. fluminea populations analysed. Morphometric analyses showed differences between the populations colonizing the North (with the exception of the Lima River) and the Centre/South ecosystems. The sperm morphology examination revealed the presence of biflagellate sperm, a distinctive character of the invasive androgenetic lineages. The low genetic variability of the Portuguese C. fluminea populations and the pattern of sperm morphology have been illuminating for understanding the demographic history of this invasive species. We hypothesize that these populations were derived from a unique introductory event of a Corbicula fluminea FW5 invasive androgenic lineage in the Tejo River, which subsequently dispersed to other Portuguese freshwater ecosystems. The C. fluminea asexual reproductive mode may have assisted these populations to become highly invasive despite the low genetic diversity.
CIIMAR/CIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos, s/n, 4450–208, Porto, Portugal;ICBAS - Institute of the Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto, Department of Populations Study, Laboratory of Ecotoxicology, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050–313, Porto, Portugal;CIIMAR/CIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos, s/n, 4450–208, Porto, Portugal;CBMA - Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology, Department of Biology, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710–057, Braga, Portugal;CIIMAR/CIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos, s/n, 4450–208, Porto, Portugal;FCUP - Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, s/n Edifício FC5, 4169–007, Porto, Portugal;CIIMAR/CIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos, s/n, 4450–208, Porto, Portugal;FCUP - Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, s/n Edifício FC5, 4169–007, Porto, Portugal;CIIMAR/CIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos, s/n, 4450–208, Porto, Portugal;ICBAS - Institute of the Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto, Department of Populations Study, Laboratory of Ecotoxicology, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050–313, Porto, Portugal;CIIMAR/CIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos, s/n, 4450–208, Porto, Portugal;FCUP - Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, s/n Edifício FC5, 4169–007, Porto, Portugal;CIIMAR/CIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos, s/n, 4450–208, Porto, Portugal;ICBAS - Institute of the Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto, Department of Populations Study, Laboratory of Ecotoxicology, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050–313, Porto, Portugal;CIIMAR/CIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos, s/n, 4450–208, Porto, Portugal;FCUP - Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, s/n Edifício FC5, 4169–007, Porto, Portugal
Recommended Citation:
Cidália Gomes,Ronaldo Sousa,Tito Mendes,et al. Low Genetic Diversity and High Invasion Success of Corbicula fluminea (Bivalvia, Corbiculidae) (Müller, 1774) in Portugal[J]. PLOS ONE,2016-01-01,11(7)